We Pillage We Plunder
by Ilirenelluithauren
Summary: This chick just can't get away from Cap'n Sparrow. She slowly finds herself attracted to his spontaneous ways, as he is attracted to her sensible ones. A quick read right now, so just check it out.
1. Before It All

Note: Yes, this has changed. I decided some exposition was required so I thought I would add this in as an opening.

The wind viciously whipped through Araminta's hair, but it was just the kind of wind she liked. The kind of wind that sent sea spray flying up from the front of her boat. Being barefoot on board was dangerous, but that didn't stop this odd female captain. Many called her mad, but she insisted that she had met many insane men and she was suffering from something far more perilous, something that could make seemingly normal people do things like try to drink five bottles of rum in five minutes or commandeer her father's ship or...leave the life of a noblewoman for the life of a pirate. That was the thing that most unfortunates Ara had met found most odd. Of course, men of the sea understood perfectly. That didn't mean they wanted her on their boat, though.

_It's my boat_, Ara thought. _The Minta. Even named after me._ Ara had killed for this boat. Killed her own father. _Not that he was much of a father_. Pushing these thoughts from her mind, Ara gave the wheel to her first mate. She walked quietly to the starboard railing. Her deep brown eyes scanned the horizon. Seeing a slight change in the distance she called up to the lookout in the crows nest.

"Walters, see anything? Down to the south there?"

"Huh, wha'?" Walters had apparently been napping. "The South? Where..."

"Straight ahead." She said it slowly so that he would understand.

"Ah...Land ho!"

Ara shook her head. "Thank ya, Walters."

"Araminta!" Ara sighed. The only person who called her that, besides her late father, was Johannes Jones. This man was her cook, placed in that profession not because of his skill in the galley but because that way he was below deck most of the time and Ara didn't have to deal with him. "Araminta!" Jones thought their relationship should be more intimate than just friends. Ara did not.

Running her hand through her long brown hair, lightened from years in the sun, and grungy from salt air and lack of hygiene, Ara sighed and turned to face him. "Go back to the galley, Jones."

"Well." He tossed his head and turned around, walking off.

" 'E's such a girl," Ara muttered. " 'ow did 'e ever become a pirate?"

" 'E's young. But yer right. 'Es very feminine. You must remember, yer twen'y sumthin' an' 'e's only…wha'…sixteen?"

"Griffin, 'ow could I ever 'ave done wivou' ya?"

"Ya didn'. I been 'ere long before you."

Griffin had been Ara's father figure as she grew up, teaching her the Code, as well as what was "right" and "wrong", at least as far as pirates go.

"I dunno why ya suffered my father as long as ya did. Stupid drunkard."

"That drunkard was yer father, lass," Griffin hated speaking of her father, "and I know I included not killing family members in my lessons to ya in youth. Besides, the drink was in 'is blood. An Irisher 'e was."

"Griffin no one's said that fer hundreds o' years—"

"That same blood runs through yer veins—"

"Yes, but I don' get _drunk_." She spat the word.

Griffin raised a gray eyebrow.

Instead of correcting her false statement Ara lifted her head proudly and walked farther toward the front of the ship, basking in the sunlight near the bow. I _need my hat_, she thought as she felt the sun staining her skin even darker than it already was. Her Caribbean mother had given her a darker complexion than her father had.

After fetching her hat and spending nearly half an hour trying to avoid Jones, Ara was topside again. Feeling the wind slam her face, she darted over to the mast and flew up the rigging, never slowing, finding the foot- and handholds easily, pausing on the topmast trestletree. The wind whipped her hair into her face, blocking her view, so she just closed her eyes and enjoyed the smells off the sound and the sound of her beloved Minta.

Unfortunately, Ara could not escape Jones later that night. Standing on the rail again, Ara stared out at sea, actually listening to what Jones was saying. He was telling her about his childhood and his parents who were cruel enough to refuse him to marry the prostitute he had fallen madly in love with.

When he got to the part about how "she took her life because she couldn't have me," Are turned and stared at him. Eyes sad, but face dry, she said, "Yer parents cared about ya enough to keep you from marrying some whore and yer here complainin' to me about i'? Me, whose mother sho' herself when her drunken father forced said mother to give 'im her child."

"Her child?"

"Uuuugh!" Ara screamed and pushed Jones out of her way to climb the rigging to the topmast trestletree for the second time that day.

"Her child?" Jones was looking around him for someone to explain to him.

"Ara. Her child Araminta." Griffin appeared behind Jones. "Where's yer 'ead boy?" Griffin walked off into the night.

"Well." Jones tossed his head and walked off.

"Cap'n. CAP'N!" Ara's eyes snapped open.

"What Walters?"

"A ship! There's a ship…it's—"

"What ship Walters?"

He faltered.

"What ship?!"

"It's the Pearl…"

Ara's eyes widened. "Griffin!" she called as she scrambled down the ropes. "Prepare the ship for battle. It's the Pearl!"

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Lies are just friends you haven't met yet.

                                                --Sheen from Jimmy Neutron


	2. Aboard the Pearl

Disclaimer: I'm only going to say this once: If I owned any of this I'd be writing myself into a role in PotC 2 that allowed me to constantly make out with Johnny.

Note: This is my first fanfic and it's late at night so if it's crap please excuse it. I tried to imitate Johnny/Jack's accent as best I could, so if you are having trouble translating I'm sorry. 

            Before she even opened her eyes, Ara was thinking. _Damn. I failed, didn't __I.__ Must have or I wouldn't be unconscious now would I? Ok, don't move, but where's your pistol?_ She couldn't feel its familiar weight at her side. _Crap. Just open your eyes. See how screwed you are._

            Opening her eyes she realized instantly that she was in a captain's cabin, nicer even than her own. Unable to discern anything, she knew she had to lift her head. Sighing, she sat up. The first thing she saw was a man. A pirate undoubtedly. Long dark bead filled hair. Was that a bone? The man was leaning over a small table, looking at maps Ara assumed.

            "Alright, I know, you know I'm awake, so where are you taking me and where am I, precisely?" she asked calmly.

He looked up. "I'm not _takin__'_ you anywhere, luv. However, I am headed south and you are on my ship. So," he looked back down at his maps, "if you want to think of it as me taking you somewhere, I'm all for it, mate. Won't do you much good though."

Ara started to sit up, using the motion to cover her hand moving toward the dagger hidden under her sleeve. "Well, if you're no' taking me somewhere, why am I here? Why haven' you jus' killed me?"

He looked up, his dark eyes penetrating hers. "Are you lookin' for this, luv? It's beautiful." He held up her dagger.

Ara's eyes widened, but she smiled. "You're Captain Jack Sparrow aren't you?"

"Neither of us can jus' answer a question can we? But yes, I am _Captain_ Jack Sparrow."

"Then this would be the Black Pearl, I suppose. Nice. Nicer than mine. But then, that's no' difficult, seeing as how she's now at the _bottom_ of the ocean. Thanks to you."

"Thanks to me."

"Do you plan to rape me, Cap'n Sparrow?"

This question took him off guard.

"Rape? No. I just thought wiv some alcohol to warm your blood you might no' mind. It's no' rape to the willing."

"Well if you can get some alcohol in me to warm my blood I'll begin to consider it."

A few hours later they were both thoroughly drunk.

"The problem is, Cap'n Sparrow," Ara said, "either we'll run out of rum or you'll pass out. I'm afraid I can hold my rum be'er than you can."

"Because clearly you know me so well, miss," the captain slurred back.

"I know you from rumors, Cap'n."

He only laughed and leaned towards her. "And what should I do with you, luv. I'm leanin' toward bein' nice and droppin' ya off in Tortuga, but that's against my better judgment, really. I suppose I could—"he stopped to take a swig of rum—"throw ya overboard, but that's no' very nice…" He fell off of his chair onto the floor, unconscious.

Unphased, Ara took another swig from her own bottle of rum. _So easy_, she thought. _He's supposed to be this big bad pirate, bu' 'e isn't. Pro'ably go' a soft crew, too. I could just walk out of here, grab a jolly boat an'  row to shore. We weren't far off when I was captured…But you don't know where you are now,_ the intelligent part of her said.

"We've sighted shore, Cap'n," a man with huge sideburns and remarkable resemblance to a badger said, coming into the room. He stopped, seeing the captain lying on the floor and the calm woman drinking at the table. "Oh," was all he said. "Well, that happens, doesn't it?"

"What shore is it tha' you've sighted Mister…"

"Gibbs, and Tortuga."

"Ah, Mr. Gibbs. Tortuga…well, doesn' that sound like i's righ' out of a fan fiction. Tell me, does the Cap'n ever go anywhere else?"


	3. A Crew at the Dancing Sprite

Rowing away, Ara had a slightly sadistic smile. _Too easy_, she thought again. Swaggering into the city of Tortuga she thanked the gods again for the smell of the sea; it almost managed to cover the stench of this city. Much as she enjoyed alcohol, she didn't love it as much as some pirates, pirates such as the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow. Looking around to get her bearings she realized that the rum had in fact gone to her head, her vision was slightly blurred.

Seeing a familiar sign off to the left, Ara smiled again and headed off in that direction. Walking into the Dancing Sprite, heads popped up. Drunken pirates lifted their heads, grinning.

" 'Ands off!"  The barkeep was a busty, plump redhead. She was also Ara's best friend. Smiling Ara sat down as Raphaela joined her. "What do ya need, luv?" Ya never come 'ere anymore unless ya need somethin'."

"I'm hurt, Phae. I truly am. I'll be sure to visit more, when I'm not busy being attacked or seduced by Jack Sparrow."

Phae laughed. "Sparrow. Righ'. Like a man like 'im would even give you a second glance."

"We have the most in'erestin relationship. And apparently 'e would, cause 'e did."

"Really? I envy ya lass. I do. So what was 'e like?"

"I couldn' tell ya."

Phae's jaw dropped. "You 'ad a man like Captain Jack Sparrow all ready and willin' and you didn't try 'im ou'? Shame on you."

"I had more important things like escape and survival on my mind, luv."

"What were ya doin' on the Pearl anyway?"

" 'E sunk the Minta."

"Ah, so ya do need somethin'. You need me ta round ya up a crew."

"If you would be so kind."

An hour later Ara looked over her crew. "What 'ave I _ever_ done to you, mate?" she asked her friend. This crew was not only very small, but the men looked pretty sad. "I luv ya dove, but I think I'll find my own crew this time."

"Ya say that every time. Fine, get your own crew. But I'll 'old these men fer ya at the Sprite."

"She's right, ya know. I'll be back," she said to the nearest pirate. He looked a little frightened. "So 'ard to find good pirates these days," she muttered as she walked off.

Walking into another bar Ara glanced around. She saw the usual drunkards and whores, but she was looking for someone _unusual_…_anyone_ unusual. _There_, she thought_, a man brooding over 'is alcohol instead of reveling in i'. That's different a' least._

She walked over to him, grabbed the bottle now moving toward his mouth, and threw it to the ground. It broke, of course, spilling its contents over the ground.

"What the 'ell did ya do that for?" the man asked.

"You'll break ou' a yer misery if ya wallow in i'. I just saved you hours, maybe days of uselessness. What's yer problem? No, neve'mind. I don' really care. Now, 'ow well can ya sail."

"I wish I had some o' whateve' you've 'ad, luv," was his only replay.

Entering other bars, Ara went through the same process. In her third bar of the evening she saw a man in the corner near a fireplace reading a Bible. _Well that jus' needs to be stopped_, she thought.

Walking over to him she took the Bible from his hands and chucked it into the fire. Before he could speak she said, "I'll tell ya what I've jus' done fer ya. I've saved you from an early death. Undoubtedly, the Bible would bring ya an early death, mate. Ya'd either go soft and get caught almost instantly, or ya'd jus' kill yerself, cause inevitably the Bible will tell ya that yer goin' ta Hell. Now, whatever yer problem is, i' can be solved wiv summin like good 'ard werk ta take yer mind off i'." She patted him on the back and heaved him out of his chair. "Come on."

She found about a dozen men this way, and with the crew Raphaela had for her that made around thirty. _Now all we need is a ship_.


	4. Date on the Docks

Strolling casually onto the docks at dawn, Ara caught sight of a tall dark figure in the distance. He was against the sun, so she could only see his silhouette, but he could apparently see her because he waved and started to head over.

"Aagh!" she groaned. "Go away." He was too far away to hear her. He continued to stroll up, swaying slightly. "'Ello, Cap'n Sparrow. So sorry 'o end our meeting the other nigh', bu'… ya know 'ow i' is."

"I do luv. My offer still stands. Though, to tell the truth, I am a bi' low on the rum righ' now. Just docked this morning, as i' were. (Note: normally I hate using quotes from the movie, but it just worked here.) You and I could fill 'er up."

"I thank ya, Cap'n, but I'm 'ere on business."

"Yer gunna commandeer a pirate ship? That's not kosher, luv. Ya could join my ship. The Pearl welcomes women."

She looked at him, eyebrows raised. "And what would I do on yer boat, Cap'n. Ya understand that title is out of respect fer ya, bu' I don' consider ya above me. I'm a captain, Sparrow. I'd 'ave no place on someone else's boat."

His eyes traveled up and down her body. "I can think of some uses fer ya, luv, but I know wha' ya mean. I've killed fer my Pearl. She's my most important mistress."

She laughed, deep throated and quiet. "Yer so charming Cap'n."

He smiled. "If yer no' gonna sleep wiv me, at least let me buy ya some rum."

She shook her head and started to protest, knowing she should do what she came here to do.

"Come on," he said taking her hand and tugging her gently as he took a few steps back until she gave in.

At some pub two hours later, Ara was eating the breakfast that Jack had bought her just before he left. He had business to attend to as well. She ate slowly and thoughtfully. Ara never rushed life. She always took things at her pace, deciding at a young age that if she didn't radiate confidence, she wouldn't get what she wanted, she would end up following the orders of others. And as a young girl on the same ship as multiple pirates, she'd learned that things needed to be her way.

Before she finished her meal, her crew found her, wandering in like a bunch of lost souls, with the simpletons Raphaela had found bobbing in behind them. The man she'd first found drinking, whose name was Jones, seemed to be the leader.

"Cap'n, with all due respec', Cap'n, ya told us we'd be goin' at dawn this mornin'. And now we find ya here…We're still shipless aren't we?"

"Yes, yes we are indeed wivou' a ship, but now tha' yer all here we can ge' ta work."

"Of course, if we'd been on time this mornin' we wouldn've had this problem," Jones said, knowing that this wasn't true.

"'Tis no' a problem 'til we are here 'til tomorrow. If we ge' ou' today, I'll no' punish ya," Ara said straightforwardly, not meaning it either. Jones smiled. These two would understand each other well.

Ara scanned the various different ships at the docks of Tortuga. She had to choose between a ship of the fleet and a merchant ship. A merchant ship wouldn't draw as much attention, but a ship of the fleet could sometimes lull the navy into a false sense of security, allowing her to get closer, easier. She had tried fighting from a distance with absolutely no luck. Finally, she spotted a brig, two masts, about ninety-five feet long, and with a hundred-twenty foot high mainmast. It was a bit big, but she knew it had to be hers as soon as she saw it. On it's black side was painted the name The Tempest and the figurehead was of a billowing cloud with an intricately carved staff protruding from the top.

Ara signaled to her crew, who were waiting, spread inconspicuously among the growing crowd of pirates. Strolling down the docks, Ara got to the ship first. She walked casually up the gangplank, politely nodding to the bewildered crew at the top. It took them only a moment to recover however.

"'Ey you! Yer no' supposed to be 'ere. Unless…are ya 'ere ta see the captain."

"Ya could say that," Ara said dreamily, mysteriously. "But le' me tell ya a secret." Ara walked over to the pirate who had spoken and whispered, "I'm not 'ere ta sleep wiv 'im." She licked his ear and ran him through as her own crew ran aboard.

The fight was fast, but three of her men died, all three men Raphaela had picked out. Looking at them she said simply, "Oh well. Someone clean tha' up."

The captain had been killed, a captain Stephano from Italy, and soon after the crew had been defeated, the remaining men running off the ship.

"The ship is ours, gen'lemen. Make ready to sail. Let's be off."

"Do _you_ think I'm a lesbian?"

"Well…I don't know…but when you make up your mind, I'll watch."


	5. Taking the Pearl

Note: Yes, I realize I have two Jones. No, this one isn't the same as the old one. The old one is dead, I'm assuming. Sorry 'bout that, luvs. Also, I'm not actually afraid of writing a sea fight scene, I'm just lazy.

She lay on her ship, in her cabin, knowing Jones had the Tempest under control. _Well, I guess this is i', then. I'm happy again. This crisis is over. Yeah._ Ara felt a moments pang at the loss of her Minta. _Stop i'_, she chided herself. _Pirates don't care about lost ships._

Going up on deck, Ara wandered around, not sure what to do, not having any particular plan. She felt very uncaptain-like. _Damn it. I want my ship back. I want my crew._ She wandered to the stern gazing out across the open waters. Climbing into the crows nest she pushed aside the man she had on watch. Pulling out her eyeglass she looked at the speck on the horizon. She smiled.

"Jones!" she called as she climbed down. "The Pearl's behind us. I wanna turn and figh'."

"You wha'?"

"I wanna take the Pearl."

Jones stared at her for a moment. "Wiv all due respec', cap'n, we don' know this ship too well. To try to take summin like the Pearl would be risky. Wiv a cap'n like Jack Sparrow—"

"'Wiv a cap'n like Sparrow' wha'?" Ara asked. Her voice rising. "'Wiv a cap'n like Sparrow' wha'? We can take tha' bastard." Jones began to interrupt, but Ara was pretty worked up at this point. "'E took my ship and I'm perfectly capable of takin' 'is. Now, if you would be so kind as to ready the ship."

Jack Sparrow was lazing at the wheel of his Pearl, unaware of the fact that the Tempest was just ahead, let alone that Ara was captaining it, let alone that she was planning to attack him. He closed his eyes, feeling the sun further cook his already cooked skin, feeling the sea spray hit his face. What would he do without his Pearl?

"Captain Sparrow, somethin's happenin' to the north there," Anamaria called up to him.

His eyes snapped open. It took him only a moment to understand what was going on.

"Prepare the ship. We're bein' attacked."

It seemed to be years before the ships were close enough to fire. The Tempest let loose the first cannonball.

Ara was quite cocky as she boarded the ship, but as soon as she saw the captain's face she new he had only surrendered because he assumed she wouldn't do anything. He thought that she was softer because she was female. When Jack saw the smirk fade from her face he began to worry, but he would never let it show. He kept his charming pirate smile firm.

Ara marched straight up to him. "'Ello Sparrow," she said loudly so that the whole crew could here. "So this is the Pearl—"

"You've seen 'er before, luv."

"Tha's Cap'n Luv to you. You'll be goin' onta my ship. Jones, yer cap'n. Doyle, Emerson, Grummage, Keech, yer wiv me. You, you, you, and you," she pointed to four of Jack's crew including Anamaria. "And Mr. Gibbs."

Jack admired the way she took control, but she was pissing him off. He grabbed her hand. "Look, Cap'n Luv," he chuckled, "is this really all necessary? I mean, yer no' really takin' my Pearl?"

She smiled at him and grabbed one of his fingers, forcing it back. Jack was sweating, but didn't show anything until his finger broke. He hastened to let go. "Don't touch me again, Sparrow," she said and walked off.

"Hey!" He called starting to step forward before remembering he had two relatively large men on either side of him. They grabbed him quickly. Jack also saw a gun pointed at him out of the corner of his eye. "Ara," he called, sounding gentler. He chuckled. "Ara, luv, I'm no' leavin' my ship."

"Sparrow," Ara walked up to him again, one eyebrow raised, "you don't have a choice."

His eyes hardened as he turned to leave his beloved.

(For those of you slow ones his beloved is his ship aka the Pearl)


	6. Losing the Pearl

About a week later, the two ships sailed into a bay to thoroughly clean the ships. Ara walked across the skinny strip of sand between the water and the tall cliffs shielding their ships from view. Approaching Jones she saw that he was arguing with Jack. She rolled her eyes. Both men were speaking quietly which actually worried her. What could be wrong that Jones didn't want the rest of the crew to know?

Ara walked silently up to the men, muttering quietly in Jones' ear, "What's wrong?"

Jones jumped and spun, a tired, frustrated look on his face. "I'm almost certain this man stole yer map o' that passage into the jail in Front Royal."

Abi turned. "Pretty handy map, Sparrow, but it won't be useful to ya righ' now. Now tha' yer no' a cap'n."

"I didn' take yer bloody map, lass." She looked at him. "Cap'n Lass."

Ara grabbed his arm and tugged him a few feet away from Jones, who wandered off, knowing his captain could handle things. Still keeping a firm grip on his forearm she leaned in and said, "Sparrow, yer no' in charge anymore an' that's somthin' yer just gonna have to accept. Now I want my map." He began to speak, but she cut him off saying, "I know the same board lifts up in yer cabin as it did in mine. I can't imagine what you were doin' in Jones' room, seein' as how he's yer superior, but I'm sure you have a perfectly good reason fer that. However," she reached into his pants and, just a centimeter below the edge of the belt was her map, "stealing is a crime that, according to the Code, is worthy of being marooned." Jack winced. "Jones," Ara called, not looking away from Jack. He came over. "Do you have any reason fer this man ta stay wiv us?"

Jones looked at him, then at her. "Cap'n, it wasn't that—I mean, yeah, he's a pain in the ass, but…his men..." Jones stopped to collect his thoughts. "Meanin' no disrespect, Cap'n, but if yer just doin' this to look powerful and frightening, I think all you'll get is mistrust."

She glared at him and thrust Jack toward him. "Deal with it."

The next day, Jack was marooned on a small island. The crew was oddly silent all day. _It's__ no' tha' odd. Usually captains of ships that have been taken over are marooned or killed immediately. It's no' my fault._

As evening fell that day a ship loomed to the west of the Pearl and the Tempest, but neither Ara nor Jones could see it because of the setting sun. It was very close when Ara finally noticed it.

"Oh, shit."

The Tempest was closest to this enemy pirate ship and, with such little time to prepare, was filling with water very quickly. Ara maneuvered the Pearl in close to her sinking ship and picked up some of her crew. As she personally pulled Jones onto the deck, the Pearl shuddered with the blast of a cannon. "Return fire," she screamed. The blasts were coming from the Pearl faster, but this enemy ship, the Ascension, had a head start.

_Sparrow could've handled this_, Ara thought. _Sparrow would already have won._ Grappling hooks were thrown onto the Pearl and the enemy had boarded. Before long, there was a sword to Ara's throat.

"Where's yer captain?" The pirate captain asked.

"Yer lookin' at 'er," Ara replied dryly.

The pirate scoffed. "Everyone knows the Black Pearl is captained by Jack Sparrow. You don't look like a Jack to me."

Ara gave him an easy smile, her head tilting and small dimples appearing. "Sparrow is no longer in command of this ship—"

"And neither are you. Gents," he called to his crew, "deal with it." He shoved her towards them.


End file.
